Former US President Donald Trump's attorneys and federal prosecutors have been ordered to appear in court on Friday. The order was issued yesterday by a federal judge presiding over Trump's trial on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan has set the hearing to help determine how evidence can be used and shared in the case. This comes shortly after Trump's attorneys and members of U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith's office had clashed in a joint court over when to schedule the proceeding. Prosecutors had said they were available all week, while Trump's lawyers had asked for a postponement until early next week. 

Earlier on Monday, Trump's defense team opposed a request from prosecutors for Chutkan to impose a protective order to ensure confidential evidence is not shared publicly by Trump, suggesting he could use the information to intimidate witnesses. They said limits would infringe on his right to free speech, protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The disagreement between the parties over the hearing date represented the latest effort by Trump's team to delay or slow legal proceedings. Meanwhile, Trump is not expected to be present in the courtroom on Friday, after Chutkan waived his appearance.